Plant Sciences (BPW) / BSc

Introduction

The BSc programme Plant Sciences focuses at crop production ranging from plant breeding to the development of plant production systems for the production of food, high quality (food) products, food ingredients, pharmaceuticals and raw materials. Plant breeding plays an important role in the development of varieties that meet current demands regarding yield, disease resistance, quality characteristics and suitability for organic farming or low-input sustainable plant production systems world wide. Sound knowledge of crop physiology and ecology is essential for the development of appropriate plant production systems to assure reliable supplies of safe, high quality food, while taking aspects of biodiversity and nature conservation into account. In crop production, greenhouse horticulture is an innovative agrosystem and an important economic sector in the Netherlands. This is realised by a steady flow of technological innovations in this sector. The investments made in crop production need to be protected from losses due to biotic stress. Integrated pest management ensures this through the integration of genetic plant resistance, crop cultivation and biological control. Rapid technological development in the field of plant sciences, genomics and molecular genetics enables the application of molecular marker technology to accelerate the selection of novel varieties with a wide variety of favourable traits. In addition, genomics, proteomics and metabolomics enable to study and understand fundamental processes in plants. Many products of these processes, such as proteins and (secondary) metabolites, are important for human and animal health, either as food components or as medicinal compounds. All of these aspects are covered by two majors within the BSc-programme Plant Sciences.

Learning Outcomes

After succesful completion of this BSc programme graduates are expected to be able to:
- explain the biology of plants in their environment, both at a fundamental level and in the various functions of plants for people and animals (based on knowledge of plant physiology, morphology and taxonomy, biochemistry, organic and physical chemistry, molecular and cell biology, mathematics, statistics, genetics and ecology);
- apply the knowledge of:
* fundamental processes in plants at the molecular and cellular level in order to analyse the development of novel varieties, the interactions between plants and their pests and pathogens, and the use of plants and plant products for food and health purposes (Major Plant Genomics and Health);
* the role of natural resources and environmental factors on plant and (agro-)system development in order to analyse open and protected plant production systems, and the interactions between nature and agriculture in an international perspective (Major Plant Production and Ecology);
- apply laboratory techniques, analytical measurements, mathematical and statistical methods for the collection, processing and analysis of experimental data in plant science, and to judge their suitability in solving specific research questions;
- resolve a scientific problem in plant sciences into verifiable research questions and develop a scientifically relevant research plan in which research question, hypothesis, experimental set-up and data analysis are described in relation to relevant literature (under supervision)Perform (under supervision) simple scientific experiments and analyse and interpret experimental data, in order to develop or design a novel solution, system, model or product;
- demonstrate a scientific approach by:
* retrieving and critically selecting relevant literature from bibliographic databases;
* combining new knowledge with previously obtained knowledge;
* understanding of the process of testing hypotheses, theories and models through experiments;
- communicate verbally and in writing about the results of learning, experiments and project work with colleagues and non-colleagues, both in Dutch and in English;
- co-operate in an interdisciplinary team to perform project-based work;
- recognize the international, socio-economic, ethic, cultural and temporal context of new developments in plant sciences;
- reflect (under supervision) upon personal knowledge, skills, attitudes and functioning, both individually and in discussions with others and design and plan their own learning path.

Majors

- Plant Genomics and Health;
- Plant Production and Ecology.

Programme Director

Dr G.J. Kuipers
Phone: 0317-(4)84767/ 82839
Email: anja.kuipers@wur.nl

Study Adviser(s)

- Dr G.J. Kuipers
Phone: 0317-(4)84767/ 82839
Email: anja.kuipers@wur.nl
- Dr ir A. Schots
Phone: 0317-(4)85261
Email: arjen.schots@wur.nl

Programme Committee

Chair: Dr ir U. van Meeteren
Secretary: Dr G.J. Kuipers

Internet

http://www.bpw.wur.nl

Study Association

Semper Florens
Email: semper.florens@wur.nl
Internet: http://www.semper-florens.nl.

Unconditional Admission to the MSc

MBF Bioinformatics
MDR Development and Rural Innovation
MFQ Food Quality Management
MOA Organic Agriculture
MPB Plant Biotechnology
MPS Plant Sciences